Apparatus for sealing containers



S. W. FORSMAN.

APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, 1918.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921,

4 SHEETSSHEET l- IN VENTOR J. n FORM/AM ///3 ATTORNEYS ZZEMW S. W.FORSMAN.

APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 30, 1918.

1,388,422. Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 11v VENTOR s. n/. FU/FJMAM MQJ 3" ATTORNEYS S. W.FORSMAN.

APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII I1 11 I1J\1II f I I I I II '3 3 i I WITNESS I N VEN TORi/VFO/RSM/Ml I wMQ mt HA5 A TTORNE YS S. W, FORSMAN.

APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3% 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Application filed octobereo, 1918. Serial No. 260,247.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known thatI, STANTON V. F OR$MAX, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles, county ofLos Angeles and State of California, have inyented a certain new anduseful Apparatus for Sealing Containers, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to an apparatus for sealing containers,particularly paper boxes or fiber shipping cases having flaps which areglued in place to seal the container.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for automaticallysealing ,the closing flaps of containers in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus forsuccessively and automaticallyperforming the functions of applying anseal flaps, moving said flaps into contiguity with the body of thecontainer and pressing and holding said flaps in position until theadhesive sets.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, withthe foregoing. will be set forth at length in the following description,where I shall outline in full, that form of the invention which I haveselected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming partof the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one specificform of the apparatus of my invention and a modification thereof, but itis to be understood that I do not limit myself to such forms, since theinvention, as expressed in the claims may be embodied in a plurality ofother forms.

eferring to said drawings: v

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus of myinvention, part thereof being broken away to reduce the size of thefigure.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section, taken on the line 22 Fig.1,part of the apparatus being broken away to reduce the size of thefigure.

Fig. 3 is a continuation of Fig. 2, parts thereof being broken away toreduce the size of the figure.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken on the line 4+4 Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section through the adhesive trough androllers.

Fig. 6 is a section taken. on the line 66 Fig.

adhesive to the under side of the Fig. 7 is a perspectix'e view of thecontainer with the sealing flaps extended.

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of a modified form ofapparatus. parts thereof Eeing broken away to reduce the size of thegure.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on the line 99 big. 8

The apparatus of my invention comprises means for conveying thecontainer and means operative on the container during its movement forholding extended the sealing flaps of the container, applying anadhesive to the under side ofthe sealing flaps, moving the sealing flapsinto engagement with the body of the container, pressing the flapsfirmly in place and holding them in place while the adhesive sets, allof the various mechanisms cooperating to seal the container as it isadvanced through the apparatus.

The apparatus comprises a suitable frame 2 upon which the variousmechanisms are mounted. Arranged on the frame are two superposedsynchronously movable endless conveyers 34, their adjacent surfacestraveling in the same direction. Secured to each conveyer at spacedintervals, are a plurality of groups of closely arranged flights 56, thegroups being so disposed that a group 5 on the lower side of the upperconveyer is disposed directly above a group 6 on the upper side of thelower conveyer. Secured to the conveyer and disposed behind each groupof flights is a backing plate 7 for holding the container in place onthe conveyers. The container 8, rests on the group of flights 6 on thelower conveyer, and the group of flights 5 on the upper conveyer,together with the backing plates, hold the container firmly in place asit is moved through the apparatus. The upper run of the lower conveyeris supported by the rails 9, secured to the frame. The conveyers 31 aredriven from the drive shaft 12 through the gears 13-l4, the shafts151617 and the sprockets l8 and 19. r

Arranged in .front of the intake end of the conveyers. is. a feed table21, the upper surface of which lies in the plane of the upper surfacesof the flights on the upper run of the lower conveyer and the table isprovided with a slot or a cut out portion, into which the flights riseas the lower conveyer moves. The container 8 is placed on the table andis picked up by the flights and l the backing 'container is partlysupported on .tainer is usually formed with inner folding flaps 23against which the sealing flaps 24 are pressed in the sealing operationand means are provided for holding the inner flaps folded inward untilthe sealingfiaps are pressed against them. Supported on the frame andarranged between the upper and lower conveyers are presser or confiningplates 25, spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the container.These confining plates 25 lie on opposite sides of the container as itis carried along by the conveyers and hold the inner flaps folded inplace. These plates extend forward over the table 21 and are curvedoutwardly on their ends to form a convergingpassage so that thecontainers may be readily placed therein. The sealing flaps 24 may lieat various angles when the container is placed on the table and meansare provided for moving them into extended horizontal position as thecontainer moves into the apparatus. Secured to the confining plates attheir forward ends are curved guide rods 26 which curve upward anddownward from a point approximately midway between the conveyers topoints adjacent the conveyers. The container is p1aced on the table withthe sealing flaps extending from the top bottom of the container andthese flaps engage the guide rods, which are arranged outside of theconfining plates, and are moved to and held thereby in horizontalextended position. Arranged above the lower run of the upper conveyerand extending out over the table on opposite sides of the conveyer aredepressing rods 31 which press down the upper sealing flaps tohorizontal position, if they are bent upwardly. The upper flaps are heldhorizontally between theguide rods and the depressing rods. The guiderods and depressing rods terminate in advance of theadhesive applyingrollers, but hold the sealing flaps extended horizontally until theleading edges thereof are in contact with the rollers.

Arran ed on opposite sides of the container c annel between theconveyers are pairs of rollers 27 and 28 for applying adhesive to theinner surfaces of the extended sealing flaps 24. The roller 27 ispositioned so that the under side of the upper flap 24 passes over theroller and the roller 28 is positioned sothat the upper side of thelower fla passes under the roller. The lower rol er 28'rotates in atrough 32 contaming glue or other adhesive and the up-.

27, but b and y ward by per roller 27 is coatedwith the adhesive fromthe lower roller. The troughs 32 are suitably supported on the frame andthe sides thereof adjacent the rollers are provided with projections 40lying adjacent the ends of the rollers. A packing strip 33 is arrangedon each side and is in contact with the ends of the rollers to preventleakage of the glue between the sides and the ends of the rollers. Theshaft of the upper roller is journaled in an eccentric bearing 34, sothat the distance between the rollers may be adjusted to produce thedesired distribution of the glue. The lower roller 28 passes through anopening in the bottom of the trough, and rotates upwardly into saidtrough through said opening. Arranged within the. trough at the openingand in close proximity to the surface of the lower roller, is a lip 35,which forms a narrow elongated passage between it and the surface of theroller. The thickness of the passage is such that the glue on the rolleris not stripped therefrom as it rotates upward into the trough and theviscosity of the glue is such that it does not flow downward throughsaid opening when the roller is rotating.

The upper sealing flaps 24 are pressed against the upper adhesiverollers 27 by the spring pressed rollers 36 arranged above and inadvance of the adhesive applying rollers. The lower surface of theroller 36 lies in advance, and below the top line of the roller 27 andpresses the flap firmly against the roller virtue of its position infront of the roller 27 it does not contact therewith and become gluecoated in the interval between two containers. Similarly the lower flaps24 are pressed'against the lower rollers by the spring pressed rollers37 arranged below and in advance of the lower rollers. The glue rollersare driven from the shaft 15 through the sprockets 38 and 39 and chain41, shaft 42, and gears 43, 44 and 45.

After having passed the glue applying rollers, the sealing flaps 24 arebent inward toward. the sides of the container by the rods 46 secured tothe frame and extending forward to engage the outer surfaces of theflaps. These rods bend the flaps inward but do not press them againstthe sides of the container. The confining plates 25 are bifurcated attheir rear ends, being provided with two extensions 47 whichhold theinner flaps 23 in place while the sealing flaps are being bent inward bythe rods 46.

While the sealing flaps are held bent inthe rods 46, the leading end ofthe container enters between the presser plates 48 which cause thesealing flaps to be pressed against the sides of the container. Thepresser plates are curved outward at their forward ends, to permit theentry of the inwardly bent flaps and to gradually press I drive shaft12,

, conveyers 57, the distance between on the bars 59,

them against the sides. The presser plates are arranged at the end ofthe tracks 29 and 30, which extend slightly beyond the shafts 15 and 16on which the conveyer sprockets are arranged.

Arranged adjacent the ends of the tracks are two vertical squeeze rolls-19, having yielding surfaces preferably formed of rubber, between whichthe container passes and by which the sealing flaps are tightly pressedinto place. Thesqueeze rolls are rotated to continue the advance of thecontainer by the which is connected to the shafts of the r lls by gears51 and 52 and bevel gears and 54. The sealed container is carried by thesqueeze rolls from the conveyers 34 onto the horizontal endless conveyer55 which is mounted on the frame and which has its intake end disposedadjacent the squeeze rolls. The upper run of the conveyer 55 issupported on rolls 56 and the conveyer is .of such length that the glueis set before the container is discharged. Arranged on opposite sides ofand above the conveyer 55 are vertically disposed endless the adjacentruns of the conveyers 57 being substantially equal to the width of thecontainer. The adjacent runs of the containers are backed by the rollers58 which are mounted pressed toward each other by the springs 61, sothat the side conveyers press against the sealing flaps and hold themtightly in place while the glue sets. The conveyers 55 vand 57 aredriven synchronously from the drive shaft 62 which is preferably beltedto the same line shaft as the drive shaft 12.

In Fig. 8, I have shown a modified form of sealing apparatusparticularly adapted for sealing containers having sealing flaps 63 ofsuch size that they overlap when folded against the side of thecontainer. The presser plates 48' are not placed directly above eachother, as in the prior construction. but are staggered, one beingarranged in advance of the other,so that one flap is folded in beforethe other, so that they will properly overlap. The upper conveyer 3is'also eliminated in this construction, which is designed to sealcontainers of less depth than the former construction, and the containeris carried through the adhesive applying apparatus and the flap foldingapparatus' by the lower conveyer 4. In other respects the two forms aresimilar.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for sealing containers having sealing flaps, meansfor applying adesive to said flaps comprising a trough. a rollerrotatable. within and extending below said trough. a second rolleradapted to receive adhesive from said first roller, means for rotatingsaid rollers, a conveyer for the containers. and means for holding theflaps on opposite sides of the containers extended so as to engage saidrollers.

2. In an apparatus for sealing containers having sealing flaps, meansfor applying adhesive to said flaps comprising a trough havingupstanding sides. rollers arranged between said sides and extending fromthe trough one being above and the other below said trough. packingstrips between said sides and the ends of the rollers. a conveyer forthe containers and arranged to move the Containers past the rollers.means for holding the flaps extended in position to engage the rollersas the containers move past the rollers and means to press the flapsagainst the sides of the containers.

3. An apparatus for sealing containers. having sealing flaps comprisinga frame. a conveyer on the frame, opposed confining plates extendingalong the conveyer. means for moving certain of the flaps intohorizontal position, upwardly and forwardly ranging spaced extensions atthe inner ends of the confining plates for holding the other of theflaps in against the container. adhesive applying rolls disposed on saidframe so as to engage the extended flaps. and rods arranged beyond saidrolls for folding the extended flaps inwardly between the extensionsupon the held-in flaps.

4. An apparatus for sealing containers having sealing flaps, a frame, aconveyer on the frame. opposed confining plates along the conveyer andbetween which the containers pass. bars on the plates arranged to extendcertain of the flaps into horizontal position.

spring rods cotiperating with the bars and between the bars and whichrods the flaps pass. adhesive applying rollers arranged to engage theextended flaps, spaced upwardly and forwardly ranging extensionsarranged one above the other on each confining plate at points beyondthe rollers and adapted to hold certain of the flaps in against thecontainer and rods yieldingly engaging and forcing the extended flaws inagainst the last named flaps between the extensions.

5. In an apparatus for sealing containers having inner and outer sealingflaps, on opposed sides thereof. a frame. a conveyer for movingcontainers along the frame. opposed confining plates between which thecontainers .pass with the inner flaps thereof held in by said plates,means to extend the outer flaps substantially horizontally. adhesiveapplying rollers arranged to apply adhesive to theinner faces of theouter. upper flaps on one end of the container. adhesive applyingrollers arranged to apply adhesive to the inner faces of the flaps onthe lower end of the container and contacting with the first namedrollers. and means to press the outer flaps into engagement with theinner flaps after the containers are moved past the rollers.

6. A machine for sealing cartons and the like having pairs of inner andouter flaps on opposite sides, havlng in combination, a conveyer for thecartons; and means operative on the container during its movement forholding the outer flaps extended and the inner flaps closed, coordinaterollers for ap plying adhesive to the inner faces of the outer flaps,and means for infolding and pressing the coated flaps against the inner,closed flaps, the rollers arranged to transfer paste from one to theother from a common source. 7. A machine for sealing cartons and thelike having in vcombination a conveyer; means adj acent the front end ofthe conveyer for opening outer flaps outwardly from the sides of thecarton; means for holding inner flaps retracted to the sides; superposedrollers to which the cartons are carried by the conveyer from theopening means, for applying adhesive to the extended flaps, and meansfor infolding and pressingthe coated flaps against the inner flaps, therollers transferring paste from one to the other, and a trough'forsupplying paste directly to one of the rollers.

8. A machine for sealing cartons and the like, having in combination, aconveyer for advancing the cartons; means adjacent the forward end ofthe conveyer for unfolding and supporting pairs of outer flaps onopposite sides of the carton; laterally spaced, coordinate parts ofrollers for applying adhesive to the inner faces only of the said flaps;means beyond the said rollers for infolding the coated flaps againstinner flaps; and means for holding the inner flaps closed whiletraversing the machine until the outer flaps are closed thereon, therollers of each pair mutuallv transferring paste from one to theother.

9. A'machine forsealin cartons and the like, having in combination, aconveyer for moving the cartons through the machine;

means adjacent the front end and at opposite sides of the conveyer foropening and hold ing open the outer flaps; pairs of coordinate adhesiveapplying rollers-underand over which the unfolded flaps concurrentlypass in contact to receive adhesive on their inner faces only; meansinterposed between and independent of the holding means and the saidrollers to press the outer flaps against the rollers; and means forsealing the outer against the inner flaps.

10. A machine for sealing cartons and the like, having in combination, aconveyer for advancing the cartons, means at" opposite sides of theconveyer for opening and holding open the'outer flaps; pairs ofcoordinate rollers at the opposite sides of the conveyer forsimultaneously applying adhesive to the inner faces of the outer flaps;yielding presser rollers interposed between the open mg means and thesaid rollers to press the .like, having in combination, a conveyer foradvancingthe cartons, side guides for retaining the inner flaps closed;means for opening and retaining open, the outer flaps; means adjacent tothe said means for applying adhesive to the inner faces, only, of theouter flaps: means for infolding the outer flaps, and a pair of squeezerollers having softsurfaces for pressing the sealing flaps against theinner flaps.

' 12. A machine for sealing cartons and the like, having in combination,a conveyer for advancing the cartons; side guide plates for retainingthe inner flaps closed; means for out-turning the outer flaps and meanscooperating therewith to hold the out-turned flaps; coordinate rollersin vertical pairs over and below which the outer flaps pass to be coatedwith an adhesive on one side of each; means between the out-foldingmeans and the rollers to press the outer flaps on the rollers; means forinfolding the coated flaps; a pair of opposite endless removing andpressure conveyers; and intermediate cushion rollers for squeezing theouter flaps against the inner flaps before the cartons enter theremoving conveyers. I

13. A machine for sealing cartons and the like, having in combination, aconveyer for advancing the cartons; means for out-folding the outerflaps, a pair of coordinate adhesive applyin rollers at each side of theconveyer for coating the inner face of each outer flap; and yieldingrollers arranged between the said means and the coating rollers forpressing the outer flaps to the coating rollers.

14. In an apparatus for sealing containers having sealing flaps, a pairof superposed endless conveyers spaced apart vertically and betweenwhich the container is carried through the apparatus, means arrangedintermediate the conveyers for moving the sealing flaps outwardly tohorizontal position, means for applying an adhesive to said flaps, andmeans arranged adjacent the rear ends of the conveyers for pressing theflapsagainst the sides of the container.

15. A machine for sealing cartons and the like, havingin combination,means for extending and holding extended the adjacent outer flaps; pairsof cooperative rollers disposed wholly between the paths of movement 120of the flaps, the rollers of each pair applying adhesive concurrently tothe inner face of adjacent flaps, the rollers of each pair beingarranged in close juxtaposition so as to transfer paste from one to theother.

16. A machine for sealing cartons and the like, having in combination,means for extending and holding extended the adjacent outer flaps; pairsof cooperative rollers disposed wholly between the paths of movement 130of the flaps, the rollers of each pair applying adhesive concurrently tothe inner face of adjacent flaps and a supply means for each pair,arranged between the said paths.

1?. A machine for sealing cartons and the like, having in combination,means for extending and holding extended the outer flaps pairs ofcooperative rollers disposed wholly between the paths of movement of theflaps, the rollers of each pair applying adhesive concurrently to theinner face of adjacent flaps, a supply means for each pair, arrangedbetween the said paths, and guide plates between which the cartonsadvance to said rollers and on the outer faces of which, said means aresecured.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco,California, this 18th day of October, 1918.

STANTON V. FORSMAN.

In presence of- H. G. P110512

